Charge-Density-Wave Thin-Film Devices Printed with Chemically Exfoliated 1T-TaS2 Ink.

We report on the preparation of inks containing fillers derived from quasi-two-dimensional charge-density-wave materials, their application for inkjet printing, and the evaluation of their electronic properties in printed thin-film form. The inks were prepared by liquid-phase exfoliation of CVT-grown 1T-TaS2 crystals to produce fillers with nm-scale thickness and µm-scale lateral dimensions. Exfoliated 1T-TaS2 was dispersed in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol to allow fine-tuning of filler particles thermophysical properties for inkjet printing. The temperature-dependent electrical and current fluctuation measurements of printed thin films demonstrated that the charge-density-wave properties of 1T-TaS2 are preserved after processing. The functionality of the printed thin-film devices can be defined by the nearly commensurate to the commensurate charge-density-wave phase transition of individual exfoliated 1T-TaS2 filler particles rather than by electron-hopping transport between them. The obtained results are important for the development of printed electronics with diverse functionality achieved by the incorporation of quasi-two-dimensional van der Waals quantum materials.

Specifics of Thermal Transport in Graphene Composites: Effect of Lateral Dimensions of Graphene Fillers.

We report on the investigation of thermal transport in noncured silicone composites with graphene fillers of different lateral dimensions. Graphene fillers are comprised of few-layer graphene flakes with lateral sizes in the range from 400 to 1200 nm and the number of atomic planes from 1 to ∼100. The distribution of the lateral dimensions and thicknesses of graphene fillers has been determined via atomic force microscopy statistics. It was found that in the examined range of the lateral dimensions, the thermal conductivity of the composites increases with increasing size of the graphene fillers. The observed difference in thermal properties can be related to the average gray phonon mean free path in graphene, which has been estimated to be around ∼800 nm at room temperature. The thermal contact resistance of composites with graphene fillers of 1200 nm lateral dimensions was also smaller than that of composites with graphene fillers of 400 nm lateral dimensions. The effects of the filler loading fraction and the filler size on the thermal conductivity of the composites were rationalized within the Kanari model. The obtained results are important for the optimization of graphene fillers for applications in thermal interface materials for heat removal from high-power-density electronics.

Printed Electronic Devices with Inks of TiS3 Quasi-One-Dimensional van der Waals Material.

We report on the fabrication and characterization of electronic devices printed with inks of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals materials. The quasi-1D van der Waals materials are characterized by 1D motifs in their crystal structure, which allow for their exfoliation into bundles of atomic chains. The ink was prepared by the liquid-phase exfoliation of crystals of TiS3 into quasi-1D nanoribbons dispersed in a mixture of ethanol and ethylene glycol. The temperature-dependent electrical measurements indicate that the electron transport in the printed devices is dominated by the electron hopping mechanisms. The low-frequency electronic noise in the printed devices is of 1/fγ-type with γ ∼ 1 near-room temperature (f is the frequency). The abrupt changes in the temperature dependence of the noise spectral density and γ parameter can be indicative of the phase transition in individual TiS3 nanoribbons as well as modifications in the hopping transport regime. The obtained results attest to the potential of quasi-1D van der Waals materials for applications in printed electronics.

Electromagnetic-Polarization-Selective Composites with Quasi-1D Van der Waals Fillers: Nanoscale Material Functionality That Mimics Macroscopic Systems.

We report on the preparation of flexible polymer composite films with aligned metallic fillers composed of atomic chain bundles of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals material, tantalum triselenide (TaSe3). The material functionality, embedded at the nanoscale level, is achieved by mimicking the design of an electromagnetic aperture grid antenna. The processed composites employ chemically exfoliated TaSe3 nanowires as the grid building blocks incorporated within the thin film. Filler alignment is achieved using the "blade coating" method. Measurements conducted in the X-band frequency range demonstrate that the electromagnetic transmission through such films can be varied significantly by changing the relative orientations of the quasi-1D fillers and the polarization of the electromagnetic wave. We argue that such polarization-sensitive polymer films with unique quasi-1D metallic fillers are applicable to advanced electromagnetic interference shielding in future communication systems.

Electrically Insulating Flexible Films with Quasi-1D van der Waals Fillers as Efficient Electromagnetic Shields in the GHz and Sub-THz Frequency Bands.

Polymer composite films containing fillers comprising quasi-1D van der Waals materials, specifically transition metal trichalcogenides with 1D structural motifs that enable their exfoliation into bundles of atomic threads, are reported. These nanostructures are characterized by extremely large aspect ratios of up to ≈106 . The polymer composites with low loadings of quasi-1D TaSe3 fillers (<3 vol%) reveal excellent electromagnetic interference shielding in the X-band GHz and extremely high frequency sub-THz frequency ranges, while remaining DC electrically insulating. The unique electromagnetic shielding characteristics of these films are attributed to effective coupling of the electromagnetic waves to the high-aspect-ratio electrically conductive TaSe3 atomic-thread bundles even when the filler concentration is below the electrical percolation threshold. These novel films are promising for high-frequency communication technologies, which require electromagnetic shielding films that are flexible, lightweight, corrosion resistant, inexpensive, and electrically insulating.